To whom was referred a Bill (S. 418) to amend Section 7-17-220 of the 1976 Code, relating to meetings of the Board of State Canvassers, to provide that a meeting may be convened by telephone, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same and recommend that the same do pass:

JAMES H. HARRISON for Committee.

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 7-17-220 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF STATE CANVASSERS, TO PROVIDE THAT A MEETING MAY BE CONVENED BY TELEPHONE OR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION INSTEAD OF IN PERSON AT THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION; AND TO AMEND SECTION 7-17-510, RELATING TO THE CONVENING OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTION AS COUNTY BOARDS OF CANVASSERS, TO PROVIDE THAT ANY REQUIRED MEETINGS MAY BE CONVENED BY TELEPHONE OR ELECTRONICCOMMUNICATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 7-17-220 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-17-220. Unless otherwise provided in Section 7-3-10(c), the Board of State Canvassers shall meet atconvene a meeting scheduled through the office of the Election Commission within ten days after any general election for the purpose of canvassing the vote for all officers voted for at such election, including the vote for the electors for President and Vice President, and for the purpose of canvassing the vote on all Constitutional Amendments and questions and other issues. Nothing in this section prohibits the meeting from being conducted by using telephone conference or other means of telecommunication or electronic communication. Any meeting of the Board of Canvassers as provided in this section must be accessible and without cost to the public and must comply with the notice requirements of Chapter 4, Title 30, the Freedom of Information Act."

SECTION 2. Section 7-17-510 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 7-17-510. The commissioners of election for the counties shall meet in a convenient place in the county seatconvene a meeting on the Thursday next following the primary, before one o'clock p.m. of that day and shall organize as the county board of canvassers for primaries. They may appoint a competent person as secretary. The chairman shall administer the constitutional oath to each member of the board and to the secretary. The secretary shall administer to the chairman the same oath. Each county board of canvassers for primaries shall canvass the votes of the county and declare the results. The county board of canvassers for primaries shall make statements of the votes of the precincts of its county as the nature of the primary requires not later than twelve o'clock noon on the Saturday next following the primary and at that time transmit and certify to the Board of State Canvassers the results of its findings. This procedure must be repeated following every primary runoff. The Board of State Canvassers shall meet atconvene a meeting scheduled through the office of the State Election Commission and shall canvass the vote and declare the results of the primaries and the runoffs no later than twelve o'clock noon on the Saturday next following the primary in the State for state offices, federal offices, and offices involving more than one county. Nothing in this section prohibits any meeting required by this section from being conducted by using telephone conference or other means of telecommunication or electronic communication. Any meeting provided for in this section must be accessible and without cost to the public and must comply with the notice requirements of Chapter 4, Title 30, the Freedom of Information Act."